It’s no secret that the face of I HAVE CAT, Petie – aka Petie Pants, Mr McFlufferton, Petie Pork Chop – has had a bit of an…ummm… thyroid weight problem.
Attempts at engaging him in physical activity have been dismal. At best he’ll move his head to track whatever laser, or toy, I’m using to try and motivate him. If I’m lucky, he’ll move a paw. Once.
But perhaps in honor of the holiday weekend, Petie did a bit of laboring this weekend thanks to “From the Field’s” Freddy’s Feather Wand
As you’ll see in the video, he gets off to a rather clumsy (and lazy) start, but eventually gets the hang of it!
I’m hoping the wand will be able to hold up to Petie and this can become a daily workout routine. Thankfully replacement feathers are available for only $3.93 a pop.
You might recognize “From the Field” – as I did – from their catnip spray and hemp toys
The last thing that made Petie move like this was over a year ago. I made a video on that occasion as well. Sadly the all-plastic blue wand with plastic butterfly lasted less than 24 hours (Which is why you guys didn’t hear about it ’til now!).
I thought I was being cute and set the video to the song “I Believe I Can Fly.” Don’t think anyone found it as amusing as I did.
Do any of you have chubby cats? If you have tricks or toys that make your fat feline move please share! I need all the help I can get!
***************UPDATE***************UPDATE***************UPDATE***************UPDATE**********
After one week of use by 3 adult cats and 2 foster kittens. This is what is left of the wand toy.
I have to wonder where those feathers ended up….they still enjoy playing with the cork ball! Given Petie is still batting it around off-and-on, I think I’ll invest in a few replacement feathers!
NOTE: For the record the company did not send this to me. I actually purchased it all on my own!
*In honestly I rarely purchase feather toys as I’m not exactly sure how they are sourced. But there is no doubt the cats go bonkers for them (in their blood I guess).
Go Petie, go Petie, get the birdy, get the birdy…. You can do this!!!
LOL! he thanks you for your encouragement!
love the music addition to the song!
Thanks!
The only thing that all cats I’ve met can agree on is that “wand-toys” are irresistible. Even when I’ve been looking after one for the summer and they didn’t all get along as soon as the “wand-toy” came out they would forget they didn’t get along and all play with the toy… Seems Petie is no different than the rest of them.
Hmmm… something about boys and their WANDS! ha!
Oh did I get a chuckle out of that!!!
I’m sorry but Petie’s chubby little body is SO cute,and that nose!!!
Hugs to all of them:)))
He is rather comical!
Petie is very cute!
My cat Billy is not overweight but he is a bit of a couch potato. I can’t get him interested in wand toys (even da bird) but he will respond to food. I have resorted to tossing his favorite treats down a long hallway in our apartment. This is the only way I can get him to run and he seems to enjoy it. He also likes the Pet Natural Daily Best vitamin chews which I break in half and get him to chase.
http://www.DeborahJulian.etsy.com
Can you believe that Petie won’t come to get treats. Not even Tempations. He stares at me as the others get treats and expects me to bring them to him (which of course like a bad mom i do – i can’t deny him!)
Milou, my half-brother, has always been a bit chubby (to say the least) because he’s a big eater but he’s always liked playing, especially with strings (supervised by he humans who hold the string). He would follow the string everywhere the humans would take it.
Me I’m doing a LOT of exercise these days thanks to my new little sister
Petie is very cute trying to fly with the butterfly!
Purrs
Petie makes me laugh. He plays the same way that Cody does….lazily!!!! Cody will leap into the air but he spends most of his time showing me his “belleh” A couple of the best toys for play: “Da Bird” that Jackson Galaxy endorses, the “Cat Teaser or Cat Catcher” and the Kragonfly!!
All three of my cats (even the chubby one) go nuts over peacock feathers. They are inexpensive, and as far as I know, the peacocks shed them naturally.
Love Petie! Seriously, if you take him off of dry food that weight will fall off – it was amazing how fast it happened with my cats and my mom’s cat!
I did! He was on Rx wet for months. Lost a pound but put it back on.
Rx food is still VERY high in plant based ingredients. All the companies I’ve seen that make Rx foods use a lot of corn and wheat. They just use the gluten part to up the protein content instead of using actual meat protein. as a result most cats on them are undernourished so they are starved despite getting ‘adequate calories’
OMC!!! I spewed my coffee when you put Petie on SLO-MO as the music swelled to an emotional crescendo…and then the words across the screen….Petie did it…Petie jumped! So funny!!!! I do have some advice based on my own experience with Purrl and Mister (Petie’s Doppelganger). It would be best to isolate Petie from the others during play. Sometimes the competition will shut a less active cat down (Petie/Mister). Try a Petie only session and see what happens. Bravo on Petie’s “flying” and for you on keeping up the fight on feline fluffiness. (we won’t use that other word).
Fight on feline fluffines…I am gonna have to steal that! Ha! Thanks as always for your colorful comments.I look forward to them!
Fight on feline fluffines…I am gonna have to steal that! Ha! Thanks as always for your colorful comments.I look forward to them!
http://catinfo.org/?link=felineobesity
http://feline-nutrition.org/health/diabetes-and-obesity-preventable-epidemics
I LOVED both videos, Tamar (and I am amused by the soundtrack, too, even though that guy is creepy.) The interactive toys are the best for our family, too — our favorite, paws down, is Da Bird, which you can get online at http://www.catclaws.com or at various other venues. We have two of these, and it’s a lot of fun to get them both going and see how many cats go airborne at one time.
And then there are always the tried-and-true, simple laser pointers — we have a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng hall that runs almost the whole length of the house, and it’s amazing to get the laser going in the dark and watch the feline Indy 500.
Thanks for your comments. I’m so glad you liked the vids! I’m never sure if others will find it as hysterical as I do….they are my babies after all! Can you believe that Petie barely reacts to the laser pointer?! crazytown. That must be a hoot to watch your kitties run up and down the hall! LOL!
(Btw, there are two prosperous members of our feline family and one has been referred to as “a cute, tubby calico” while I was once asked, “Is that a CAT? It’s as big as a raccoon!” about the other. Neither of them gets airborne much, but that doesn’t stop me from trying.
)
if you go back to your facebook page, i will post a picture of one of the kitties from Planet Kitty who still gets airborne despite being seven years old! (it won’t let me attach it here grrrr) A pic will be posted of his latest feat! Or feet as the case may be! lol
Lu Anne @ Planet Kitty
oops his name is Sherlock!
Oh Petie, you’re purrfect as you are. It not always the toy but how it’s being used (by the human) to mimic the predatory sequence. Some cats prefer mousing/snake type toys on the ground while other like climbing, leaping after “birds”.
Maxwell: DOOD, I’ll have to get Momma to get me one of those – i LOVE feather toys and stuff.
FaRADaY: *waves paws wildly* YAY! We’re baaaaack! Mommy’s done with all her location work for a bit and is helping us catch up with our fave blog friends again! WOOT!
Super Hurrah! Petie flew!
Tehe!